Gold-plated door frames still missing, moved out after recording as copper: Devaswom official Murari Babu suspended

PATHANAMTHITTA/THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: It has been reported that the gold-plated door frames of the Sabarimala shrine were also moved out by marking them as copper. With this, suspicions have been strengthened that kanikka worth crores, including gold offered by devotees, were looted.

The Devaswom Mahasar, which was prepared after March 11, 2019, had the door frames marked as copper and sent to Unnikrishnan Potty for gold plating again. This was revealed by B Murari Babu, the former administrative officer of Sabarimala, who was suspended by the Devaswom Board in the gold plating controversy. Murari Babu, who is now the deputy commissioner of Haripad Devaswom, was suspended for marking that the gold-plated Dwarapalakas sculptures were made of copper.

Unnikrishnan Potty was the one who made new doors after the old doors of the shrine were damaged. The layers on the door frames became less shiny than the doors after the new doors were installed on March 11, 2019. Murari Babu revealed that the board then assigned Unnikrishnan Potty to take these to Smart Creations in Chennai to be gold-plated.

These were handed over after commenting in Mahasar that they were copper. It is suspected that this note was made to smuggle the entire gold-plated door frames.

Door frames taken that day still missing

1. Smart Creations says that they do not repair or gold-plate things that they did not manufacture. If so, what was done to the door frames that were taken?
2. The answer should come from Unnikrishnan Potty and the Devaswom Board. The special team appointed by the High Court may also investigate this

Murari Babu's intervention twice

Action was taken against Murari Babu for marking the gold-plated Dwarapalaka sculptures as copper. Devaswom Vigilance had found that it was marked as copper in 2019, when it was handed over to Unnikrishnan Potty for gold plating. The Vigilance report also states that Murari Babu had asked to give the gold-plated layers to Potty for re-gold-plating when he was the Sabarimala Executive Officer in 2025.

"Strict action will be taken against other officials mentioned responsible for irregularities in the Devaswom Vigilance report." -

P.S. Prashanth, President, Thiru. Devaswom Board.